Canadian rugby star Phil Mack at Oakville camp Aug. 22

Canadian rugby star Phil Mack at Oakville camp Aug. 22

Canadian national rugby team star scrum half Phil Mack will help lead a youth rugby camp next week in Oakville.

The camp will take place Friday, Aug. 22 at Oakville Crusaders Rugby Club, 2214 Ninth Line. Instruction will take place from 1-4 p.m., followed by a barbecue from 5-7 p.m.

Though the camp is being run by Thunder Rugby, a First Nations organization that aims to grow rugby among Aboriginal youth, it is open to all youth in the area.

Mack, a coach with Thunder Rugby, has played in more than 50 rugby sevens tournaments in his international career. The Toquaht First Nation (Vancouver Island) member is Canada’s all-time scoring leader in the sport.

“We want to see Aboriginal youth rugby grow across the country. A couple of long-term goals are to have rugby sevens as part of the Indigenous Games, and also to identify Aboriginal athletes who could reach the elite level and follow in Phil’s footsteps,” said Thunder Rugby program director John Lyall.

Thunder Rugby will hold another camp the following day in Ohsweken, the central portion of the Six Nations Reserve.

Registration for the camp costs $10 and can be done online at bit.ly/1rvFjrv